Photosynthesis is a system of biological processes by which photosynthetic organisms, such as most plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, convert light energy, typically from sunlight, into the chemical energy necessary to fuel their activities. Photosynthetic organisms use intracellular organic compounds to store the chemical energy they produce in photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is usually used to refer to oxygenic photosynthesis, a form of photosynthesis where the photosynthetic processes produce oxygen as a byproduct and synthesize carbohydrate molecules like sugars, starches, glycogen, and cellulose to store the chemical energy. To use the chemical energy stored in these organic compounds, the organisms' cells metabolize the organic compounds through another process called cellular respiration. Photosynthesis is largely responsible for producing and maintaining the oxygen content of the Earth's atmosphere, and it supplies most of the biological energy necessary for complex life on Earth.

सजीव कोशिकाओं के द्वारा प्रकाशीय उर्जा को रासायनिक ऊर्जा में परिवर्तित करने की क्रिया, द्वारा सूर्य के प्रकाश की उपस्थिति में वायु से कार्बनडाइऑक्साइड तथा भूमि से जल लेकर जटिल कार्बनिक खाद्य पदार्थों जैसे कार्बोहाइड्रेट्स का निर्माण करते हैं तथा आक्सीजन गैस (O₂) को जल से बाहर निकालते और वायुमंडल में मुक्त कर देते हैं।